Questions to ask when you’re planning a built in kitchen

Hello blog readers, I hope you’re all well! It’s been a while since I last posted as I’ve been away on maternity leave, but I’m glad to be back after nearly nine months of sleepless nights and nappy changing. And I’m happy to tell you I’ve learned a thing or two about kitchen appliances while I’ve been away. The washing machine and I are now very well acquainted!

So now life is settling into some semblance of routine again, we’re embarking on the next big family adventure – moving house. And just to make life as stressful as possible we’re moving to a property that needs a complete makeover, including a brand new kitchen. So if you could keep your fingers crossed the move goes smoothly for us, I will hopefully have some before and after pictures to keep you entertained.

While I mull over materials and colour choices for worktops I wanted to give you three top tips which I have recently learned, for buying built in kitchen appliances.

1. Note the cut out for your new hob. You may know the dimensions of your hob but make sure you also have the cut out information for your work surface. The cut out hole in the work surface should be 1-2cm smaller than the dimensions of your new hob. This information can normally be found in the instruction manual.

2. The difference between built in and built under. Fridges, freezers and dishwashers look great if they’re built in and disguised by cupboard doors, but built under appliances are a breeze to install - just slot them in! Take into consideration timescale and budget when you’re choosing your new appliances. Built in appliances will obviously take longer and cost you more in installation.

3. Plan your space effectively. Having a large fridge freezer in the corner is all well and good until you try to open the drawers and they catch on the door because you can’t open it wide enough. Appliances with doors that open to the side (e.g. fridges, washers, dryers and ovens) are much easier to use if you can open the door past a 90 degree angle, so make sure you take into account anything which will prevent this from happening – handles which stick out are a common problem.

If you have any top tips for planning your own built in kitchen please feel free to let me know in the comments section below. I look forward to reading your thoughts!